Vegan Socialist Apple Pie

Yeah you heard me. Not only is this pie suitable for righteous vegan palates, the top crust can also be carved into the shape of Hugo Chavez wishing your brother a happy birthday. Or whatever. Get crafty with it!

Here are the basic instructions. Pie making is in my blood (and apparently my muscle memory) but if you’ve never made a pie before, it would be a good idea to check out allrecipes.com for their handy how-to videos before you begin.

Deliciousness guaranteed. Socialism optional.

Basic Vegan Pie Crust

Makes top & bottom crust for one pie

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup Coconut oil (room temperature)

½ tsp Egg replacer + 1 tbsp water (check the package for the equivalent of half an egg)

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

1½ tsp lemon juice

¼ cup ice water

Using two knives, a pastry cutter, or even a food processor, cut the coconut oil into the flour until crumbly (note that coconut oil should be soft but still solid at room temp).

Mix the “egg,” sugar, salt & lemon. Pour this mixture into a well in the centre of the flour mixture with half (2 tbsp) of the ice water.

Stir gently with a fork just until the dough forms a ball, adding more ice water (a little at a time) if needed.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Cover and chill for approximately 1 hour before rolling out (keep an eye on it, though, as coconut oil will solidify in the fridge, and you want the dough to still be pliable).

Once chilled, divide the dough into 2 and roll one part out on a floured surface. Don’t have a rolling pin? Just clean off an empty wine bottle and dust it with flour. Working from the centre to the edges, roll it out into a circle about ¼” thick, and large enough to fill your pie plate and hang over the edges at least ¾”. (The crust will shrink slightly while baking, and you don’t want it to disappear!) Place the bottom crust in your pie plate and poke the bottom with a fork a few times.

Next you’ll want to fill your pie with something delicious (see below for Apple Pie filling). Now roll out the top crust in the same manner. You’ll need to cut some slits in the top crust to let the steam escape while baking, so why not get creative with it? You can use a sharp knife to cut out shapes or outline a drawing, and you can also use spare scraps of crust to add leaves or other cut out shapes on top. Just keep in mind that the shape of the top crust will change slightly as the filling bakes underneath it.

Get your fingers wet and lightly dampen the edges of the bottom crust around the rim of the pie plate (this will help the top crust to stick to it). Now place your top crust over the filling, making sure it hangs over the edge at least ¾”. (I like to roll out my top rust on plastic wrap for ease of transferring, but you can also use a pastry board if you have one.)

Use a fork to flute the edges of the crust (that means squish them together, you can also pinch it with your fingers).

Bake the in an oven preheated to 425˚F for 15 mins, then turn the temp down to 350˚F and bake for another 30-45 minutes, until crust is golden and apples are soft. (If your pie starts to brown on top before the filling is cooked, cover it with foil and continue baking).

And viola, PIE!

Apple Pie Filling

Adjust the spices to your taste, or look online for lots of other filling options.

6-10 Apples (Macs are great for baking, but use whatever you’ve got)

2 tbsp sugar or sugar substitute (add more if you have a sweet tooth, my Granny used to use a full cup…!)

1 tbsp Cinnamon

½ tsp Cloves, Nutmeg and/or Allspice

½ tsp ground Ginger

A sprinkle of Lemon juice (to keep apples from browning)

1. Peel, core & slice the apples. You can layer apples, then sugar & spice, or mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and then transfer to your pie crust.